My helper is so lazy! Help!

My helper is so lazy! Help!

I am 9 months pregnant. My helper does not do what she has do. She probably thinks i can not fire her at this stage. Plays iPad even before she has not started her work. I asked her to stop but she would just sit in the kitchen and read my son's books. When I ask her to do something her face becomes so miserable and would talk back. For example I asked her to take my friend's child to the clubhouse for a while when my friends were visiting me she says the kid did not want to go with her and many other excuses and would not go. I think i'd better to find someone better through recommendation, not terminated ones. Please help.

Have you taken any disciliplinary action, i.e., written her up when she has refused your instructions? If not, you need to start documenting these things to avoid a labour claim if you terminate her for cause without payment in lieu of notice. Also, be careful what you terminate her for. Things like babysitting a visitors child may technically fall outside the legal scope of her employment. Babysitting a friend's child certainly would and I don't see how this would be looked at any differently. Not a criticism, you should just protect yourself from potential issues down the line.

elle, i think it might fall under this question in the FAQ for deployment of a helper from abroad.

"Q33: My children's classmates live in the neighbourhood. Sometimes, if their mothers/FDHs are busy, I will ask my FDH to take them to school. Does it infringe the law?

A33:
An employer should not require or allow the FDH to work for any other person and the FDH has no contractual obligation to follow an instruction of helping a neighbour. However, given the said circumstances and the nature of the said assistance, if offered out of volition and good will of the FDH to a neighbour, it does not warrant intervention of the law enforcement agencies."

Not the best example you used, but from your post she doesnt seem to be cooperating and meeting your standards, in that case either write down clearly what you'd like her to do (which in itself could cause trouble cause she has proof that you are "over working" her even though you may not be) or just find a replacement quick. If you are a SAHM you will be fine.

elle, i think it might fall under this question in the FAQ for deployment of a helper from abroad.

"Q33: My children's classmates live in the neighbourhood. Sometimes, if their mothers/FDHs are busy, I will ask my FDH to take them to school. Does it infringe the law?

A33:
An employer should not require or allow the FDH to work for any other person and the FDH has no contractual obligation to follow an instruction of helping a neighbour. However, given the said circumstances and the nature of the said assistance, if offered out of volition and good will of the FDH to a neighbour, it does not warrant intervention of the law enforcement agencies."

Have actually called Immigration to check and they distinguished babysitting from dropping a child off at school, with the former being prohibited, unless the child is playing with the employer's children in which case they will look at all the circumstance. We asked because our daughter often has dinner at our neighbor's house and the other way around with only their helper present and we didn't want anyone in trouble.

ah, ok..thanks for the clarification, elle. it's good to know because most saturdays/sundays, the kids in the village take turns eating at each other's homes..

In our case they said it was fine, unless helper didn't want to and voiced concerns. But they said that our helper babysitting without our daughter there would not be within her conditions of stay, even though we didn't ask about that.